So it’s July 4th this week, and in honour (with a U) of our American cousin’s independence, I’m doing Red, White and Blue Faux-reos…

The recipe if from a charity book of cookies: a good cause and good value for money for the inspirational cookie recipes inside!

In honour (with a U) of our Yankee friends, I decided to bake by their rules… using all their weird measurements. The full recipe, with conversions, is at the bottom of the post… but bear with me while I go through it the authentic way…

So let’s start with creaming the butter and sugar. We need one stick of butter.

Oh my bad… a stick is a 3rd of a cup. now which cup to use?

Apparently I can also use 4oz of butter! My scales are compatible with that :)

Now I need a cup of sugar.

I did try some measurements…

But the lines and the full cup both didn’t make sense… so I’m going with the ‘about a cup’ style… (arrgghhh!!!)

Anyway… cream in mixer.

Then add a large egg.

See how it says ‘medium’ there? Yeah… US Large is EU medium.

Anyway… one egg plus one yolk goes in. Separated using the shell method… cause that’s what my mummy taught me!

And stuff gets beaten in the mixer…

Next we need a cup and half of AP flour. AKA All Purpsie flour. AKA plain flour… As for how much you pack the cups…? Who knows…

Then 1/2 a cup of unsweetened cocoa powder. Supposed to be Hershey’s… but as I’ve tasted their ‘chocolate’ I’m using real cocoa :P

Oh and of course sieve it.

1 tsp salt. Yep: understand that. Also understand 1/4 tsp baking powder. 1 tsp baking soda… yeah that’s bicarbonate of soda…

That all gets mixed in a separate bowl.

Before mixing into the rest.

This is a standard ‘bake at 350’ recipe, which means 320 degrees of Fahrenheit for a fan oven.

Now I a 2 tsp cookie scoop… FFS…

OK so that’s not far off. Now place flatted balls two inches apart.. Inches? Really? How many cubits is that!?

Sorry… must be patriotic… USA USA…

So… USA stamps on everything! (whoa yeah!)

And cook for 5 mins, then switch layers, then 4 more minutes, and we have some cookies. Looking rather puffy for an O… erm…. Faux-reo. Next batch will get flattened more.

Anyway… both batches go under cat&fly-proof cloches.

The filling needs both butter and vegetable shortening. Apparently Tesco sells some… and apparently it’s also a euphemism for marg/lard. So as I’ve got lard… we’ll be using that! Also it need confectioner’s sugar: AKA icing sugar…

Anyway… way too much sugar is mixed with may too much fat… and then I need to take, and I fucking quote… ‘a scant teaspoon of mixture’… Scant!? ARRGGHH!!!

Yeah well turns more like…

Anyway: this goes on to nine of the cookies.

And then we sandwich. Then other colours of filling are mixed.

And in the end, it’s all red white and blue!

Original recipe:

For the cookies:

• 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature (155g)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (225g)
• 1 large egg at room temperature (1 medium EU egg)
• 1 large egg tolk at room temperature (1 medium EG egg yolk)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups AP flour (190g plain flour)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (60g)
• 1 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder

For the filling:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (85g)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening (43g hard marg, lard, or veg shortening if you can find it)
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar (250g icing sugar)
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350f. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

To make the cookies:

Cream the butter and sugar. Whisk the egg, egg, yolk & vanilla extract together, and beat into the butter&sugar. Mix all the dry ingredients (sieving the cocoa powder) together before mixing into the mix. Use a cookie scoop (teaspoon) to drop balls of dough onto the trays. Flatten the balls with moistened hands. Bake for around 9 minutes, rotating the sheets half way through. Slide the parchment and cookies onto a cooling rack, cool for three minutes, then remove from the parchment and cool fully on the rack.

To make the filling:

Beat butter and shortening until creamy, Add sugar and vanilla and mix until combined, then mix until light and fluffy.

To assemble:

Spread a scant teaspoon of filling onto the bottom of a cookie, then sandwich with another cookie, and press together gently.